Shared Hope International

Leading a worldwide effort to eradicate sexual slavery...one life at a time

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6 Summits Challenge Refocuses Efforts in Nepal After Natural Disasters

BALTIMORE, MD (APRIL 30, 2015) – This morning, April 30, 2015, Nick Cienski, Mission 14 Founder and CEO and Under Armour Senior Director of Innovation, along with the Mission 14 and 6 Summits Challenge team at Everest Base Camp (EBC), have decided to discontinue climbing Mount Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu as part of the 6 Summits Challenge. This decision was made out of respect for the families and individuals who have lost lives and homes during this terrible disaster.

“We feel it would be wrong for us to continue climbing these mountains,” said Cienski. “We have made the decision to rededicate our efforts in Kathmandu and provide help alongside our existing partner organizations such as Tiny Hands International, Shared Hope, and Catholic Relief Services.”

“We are still committed to the 6 Summits Challenge and raising global awareness for human trafficking by setting a world climbing record, as we were before the earthquake in Nepal. In the coming days and weeks, we will work closely with Russell Brice and our sponsor corporations to put a plan together that still makes this a possibility,” Cienski continues. “We want to thank everyone who supports this expedition and mission, and encourage you to BE BRAVE to continue to do good work in this fight for justice for all humanity.”

The 6 Summits Challenge team has been at EBC since early April acclimatizing for their expedition. Nick Cienski, Sandi Cienski – Mission 14 Director of Operations, Elia Saikaly – 6 Summits Challenge Videographer, Russell Brice – Himalayan Experience Owner and expedition leader, climbers Jarek Gawrysiak, Pawel Michalski, and Simone La Terra (Makalu base camp) are all unharmed.

6 Summits

About Mission 14 (www.mission14.org)
Mission 14®, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2011, was created to discover new and engaging ways to raise awareness, engage difference makers, and to financially resource existing best-in-class direct-service non-profit organizations dedicated to fighting human trafficking with a focus on the trafficking of children.

About 6 Summits Challenge (www.6summitschallenge.com)
6 Summits seeks to become a world record-setting expedition focused on attracting a global audience to raise awareness on the issue of human trafficking and the fight for fundamental human rights and justice.

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Our Relief Efforts in Nepal

Providing Emergency Aid and Rebuilding Village of Hope for Women and Children

In 2002,  Shared Hope built a Village of Hope, Asha Nepal (translated Hope Nepal), to serve as a permanent home for women and children who were fleeing from situations of sex trafficking.  At that time, most had been trafficked from Nepal to India and with our support were finally able to return to their home country.  Since then, Asha Nepal has taken in many more Nepalese victims of sex trafficking.  It is also home to children who have escaped a future in the brothel and have grown up to be leaders of Asha Nepal. Many Shared Hope donors met Manisha, Pooja, Savita, and Ajay along with founder Bimala last year when they joined us in the U.S. to help celebrate Shared Hope’s 16th anniversary.

In the spring of 2015, two earthquakes devastated the village and its residents. Women and children are sleeping outside in rain-soaked tents, cooking meager provisions over open fires, and the security wall has been destroyed leaving them exposed and vulnerable.

We are their primary source of support and thanks to the support of dedicated donors, we have been able to rush emergency aid and plan for immediate repair of the buildings to ensure the safety and health of our residents.

FOOD

Ongoing aftershocks have prevented entry to the building to retrieve possessions and prohibit access to the kitchen which is on the top floor of the home.  The water tank fell off the roof and there is concern for potable water.  Food is scarce and cooking their meager provisions on open fires is difficult.  We provided emergency funds to provide food and drinking water to residents. We worked with local partners to help facilitate ongoing support for residents during this time.

SHELTER

The Village of Hope consists of multiple homes and communal buildings which have been damaged by the earthquake. Shared Hope coordinated a team of engineers to assess the damage and prepare a plan to repair the buildings. We must work quickly to ensure construction begins before monsoon season (typically beginning in June) threatens to delay progress. Local aid provided tents for our residents but heavy rains soaked the floors. Our partners at Mission 14 visited our Village of Hope and generously donated more substantial, weather-proof tents to provide better protection to residents made vulnerable to the elements because of HIV or illness.

SECURITY

The wall securing the perimeter around Asha Nepal has been destroyed, leaving residents exposed and vulnerable to looters and those seeking to exploit individuals devastated by the earthquake. We are working to install a security team to ensure the safety of our residents until the wall can be rebuilt.

Update From the Field

We rushed emergency food, water, and tents, and also sent engineers to plan repairs and reconstruction. With the generous help of friends across America, Shared Hope began rebuilding Asha Nepal: walls, floors, ceilings, plumbing, carpeting, septic tanks, electric and telephone lines. We’ve also painted the whole building, added security walls around the compound, and put up three pre-fabricated houses.

There are still tremors. We’re still at work but the housing areas are safe, and inhabited. The children are back in school. Lives are on track!

Thank you to all who helped us meet the immediate needs — and to those who stood with us to repair the home, so the women and children in our care can continue to live in safety and freedom..

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Senators Pass Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act After Much Debate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASES.178

Arlington, VA— Shared Hope International applauds the Senate, particularly the leadership of Senators John Cornyn, Patty Murray and Harry Reid, for reaching a bi-partisan agreement that passed with a 99-0 vote and moved the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) forward to the House of Representatives. The amendment ensures that law enforcement will receive funding for training and that victims of sex trafficking will be able to receive comprehensive services on their path towards restoration.

“I commend Senators Cornyn, Reid and Murray on their unwavering commitment to bring justice to victims of trafficking. My own time in Congress provided a constant reminder that it takes much courage and passion to remain steadfast in your moral grounding, and today’s vote proves that the Senate is still able to put human rights above politics.” –Congresswoman Linda Smith, President and Founder Shared Hope International (U.S. Congress 1995-1999).

Shared Hope has supported the advancements of the JVTA since it was introduced in 2013. Not only will the bill provide much needed funding for law enforcement and survivors, it will also:

  1. Clarify current law and codify federal appellate case law confirming that the conduct of buyers who “solicit” and “patronize” commercial sex with a child are committing the crime of sex trafficking. Buyers of sex acts with children fuel sex trafficking markets. Without demand, traffickers will lose their profits, and countless children will be spared the horrors of sexual exploitation.
  2. Authorize state and local law enforcement to obtain wiretaps in state courts, without federal approval, to investigate trafficking and CSEC offenses more effectively.
  3. Hold predators accountable for the harms they cause. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act would require certain federal offenders to pay an additional special assessment of $5,000 upon conviction for child sexual exploitation, human trafficking and other related crimes. The assessment, which would be payable after orders of restitution and criminal fines are paid in full by the offender, would be directed into the Domestic Trafficking Victims’ Fund to help pay for victim services and law enforcement prevention efforts.

With the JVTA’s successful passage out of the Senate today, advocates are now turning their attention to the House of Representatives and the President to ensure that this critical legislation is passed!

MEDIA CONTACT

Taryn Offenbacher, Director of Communications
Taryn@sharedhope.org | 602-818- 3955

SHARED HOPE POLICY INITIATIVES

The Protected Innocence Challenge is a comprehensive study of state laws. Under the Challenge, every state receives a Report Card that grades the state on 41 key legislative components that must be addressed in a state’s laws in order to effectively respond to the crime of domestic minor sex trafficking. In addition, each state receives a complete analysis of this 41-component review and practical recommendations for improvement.

MEDIA MATERIALS

For media convenience, a variety of video clips and resources, including sex trafficking survivor comments, are available at this location: https://vimeo.com/user12564384/videos. Videos are password protected, please contact Taryn Offenbacher for access.

ABOUT SHARED HOPE INTERNATIONAL: Shared Hope International was founded in 1998, by former U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith, and exists to prevent, restore, and bring justice women and children in crisis. We are leaders in a worldwide effort to eradicate sex trafficking and slavery.  www.sharedhope.org.

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Virginia closes legal gap on sex trafficking

By Lindsay Raynor | Capitol News Service

With the passage of House Bill 1964 and Senate Bill 1188, Virginia is the final state in the nation to enact a stand-alone law against human trafficking, officials say. Both bills were passed unanimously in the General Assembly and have been signed into law by Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

Statistics show why such legislation is needed.

There are 25 active cases against human traffickers in Henrico County, according to Mike Feinmel, the assistant commonwealth’s attorney there. Last year, Fairfax County received reports of 79 traffickers, but the state could prosecute only 10, Bill Wolfe, the lead detective for the Fairfax County Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit.

“Four or five years ago, when I got thrown into human trafficking, I really didn’t know what it was,” Wolfe said.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, human trafficking is the second fastest-growing crime in the U.S. Officials say that is because traffickers often can make a lot of money without getting caught.

Read the full article here: http://rvanews.com/news/virginia-closes-legal-gap-on-sex-trafficking/124383

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Virginia’s First Sex Trafficking Law

Arlington, VA— On Wednesday, April 15, the Kids Are Not For Sale in Virginia Coalition held a joint press conference with Delegate Tim Hugo and Senator Mark Obenshain in Richmond to officially announce the enactment of HB 1964 and SB 1188, establishing Virginia’s first standalone sex trafficking law. Companion bills HB 1964 and SB 1188 were signed into law on March 27 by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.

“I would like to thank my friend, Delegate Tim Hugo, and Senator Mark Obenshain for leading the Virginia General Assembly to unanimously adopt this vital legislation, Linda Smith, President and Founder of Shared Hope International said. “The collaboration and effort put forth by Virginia legislators, the Kids Are Not For Sale Coalition, and Virginia residents who helped advocate for this law serves as a testament to the Commonwealth’s commitment to combat child sex trafficking.”

This legislation was championed by Chief Patron Delegate Timothy Hugo (HB 1964) and Chief Patron Senator Mark Obenshain (SB 1188). Shared Hope International implemented the Kids Are Not For Sale campaign to advocate for the enactment of a strong sex trafficking law in Virginia. The Coalition consists of Virginia law enforcement, prosecutors, service providers, advocacy groups, schools, and hospitals who joined together to advocate for this landmark legislation.

This law:

  • Clearly defines and establishes the offense of sex trafficking.
  • Establishes penalties that reflect the seriousness of the offense.
  • Specifically criminalizes child sex trafficking as a Class 3 felony without requiring prosecutors prove that force, intimidation or deception was used to cause the minor to engage in commercial sexual conduct given the way the traffickers recruit minors by preying on their vulnerability and trust.
  • Assists in protecting and properly identifying sex trafficking victims.
  • Closes a loophole in Virginia’s existing laws by criminalizing the recruitment of minors and adults for commercial sex—conduct which was not criminalized under Virginia law.

“I am grateful to my colleagues in the Virginia General Assembly for prioritizing the issue of child sex trafficking by voting unanimously to establish Virginia’s first sex trafficking law,” Delegate Timothy Hugo said. “This great success was made possible in large part through the efforts of Kids Are Not For Sale in VA, a Coalition implemented by Shared Hope International. The education and support the Coalition provided was instrumental in building momentum to pass the bill this year.”

According to Senator Mark Obenshain, “Human trafficking is the second fastest growing criminal enterprise in America, and sadly it is a problem here in Virginia. For law enforcement it is really represents the next front in the fight against child predators.”  Obenshain continued stating, “I am proud to have been the Senate patron of legislation to finally give Virginia a stand-alone sex trafficking statute.  It is a critical new tool for law enforcement to have in fighting this rapidly growing criminal enterprise. We couldn’t have done it without hard work of colleagues in the General Assembly as well as the advocacy and support of the Kids Are Not For Sale in VA Coalition.”

Media Contact
Tabatha Mansfield
Coalition Coordinator, Kids Are Not For Sale in Virginia
804-937-4001
kidsarenotforsaleinva@gmail.com

ABOUT THE KIDS ARE NOT FOR SALE IN VA COALTION: The coalition was formed to advocate for the passage and enactment of a sex trafficking statute in Virginia in 2015. Members include: Shared Hope International, Richmond Justice Initiative, Virginia Beach Justice Initiative, Regent School of Law Center for Global Justice, Anastasis International Mission, Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Initiative, Central Virginia Justice Initiative, Courtney’s House, Vessels of Mercy International, The Gray Haven, Virginia Catholic Conference, Bon Secours Virginia Health Systems, Release Me International, Virginia Trucking Association, The Family Foundation, Straight Street, Youth for Tomorrow, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Virginia, and AAUW Virginia Beach.

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